Master of String
by Nora Mutao Frost
Summary: An old elemental master comes back from the ashes to take revenge on Garmadons family and friends. Sequel to Frozen Timepiece.
1. Chapter 31

_**Authors Notes: If you haven't read Bronze Colored Heart or Frozen Timepiece this story will not make any sense. Will update daily!**_

* * *

 _ **Master of String**_

 _ **Chapter 31**_

 _ **Hard to say**_

The room was darkened, the only light came from the overhead display on the whiteboard across from the college students. A young woman with bright red mid back length hair. Her green eyes watched the students before her as she explained the elemental masters of old. Her words droned on and on. Each student seemed bord to tears, but kept writing notes as they were supposed to. The smile on Kates face continued to stay. She wasn't just talking about the elemental masters she was talking about family.

"Mrs. Julien the Master of string seems a little stupid don't you think?" One of the students up front asked. Kate smiled and shook her head.

"Not so. Before this master went into hiding he used to use his strings to manipulate peoples bodies in a sort of puppet way. They were unable to do anything to cut the string. They were forced to commit crimes, kill people, and even kill themselves. Luckily for us he was killed off by Garmadon in the war with the serpentine." The bell rang. The students stood up and raised for the door.

"Homework since I'll be gone for a few weeks. I want a report on each master mentioned today! Also turn in those notes with those reports so I know which ones you actually noticed I was talking about!" She said getting groads out of all of them.

Kate watched all her students leave and suddenly realized someone had taken as seat in the classroom. She blushed and bowed to Misako.

"I'm afraid you seem to bore them." She said and watched as Kate playfully fake swooned.

"Oh the horror."

"You ready?" Misako asked leading the way. Kate sighed and nodded.

"Its a lot better then the class room I can promise you that." Kate climbed the stairs to the musuem on the other side of the building.

"Good because you'll be taking command of the dig." Kate gasped and nearly tripped over her own two feet.

"Do what?!" She yelled

"Heres your list of assistants. No one else is allowed at the dig." Misako said and smiled at her. "Your being promoted." Kates eyes grew wider then dinner plates.

"Promoted!" She fainted right into the doorway of her office. Echo jumped when the door slammed open. He looked down at Kate. He ran around his desk and took her in his arms.

"Kate…?" He looked up at Misako who was still laughing. "Why is this funny?" He asked holding his wife to him.

"I promoted her...she fainted." Misako said. Echo fanned her and sighed. They had been married now only three months. This time legally. Their marriage certificate hung on the wall in the office they shared.

"Kate!" Echo patted her cheek. Kate slowly came back around. She sat right up and looked around.

"Echo! I'm a full archeologist!" She yelled. She had now been working for Misako for three years.

"Yes I've been informed." He said helping her up off the cold floor. She wobbled for a moment. Echo held her up by the elbows until she was steady enough to go into her office.

"I guess...I sign on the dotted line then?" She asked Misako. She nodded her head and looked up at Echo.

"I heard you are now a ful nurse." Misako asked. Echo pointed to the diploma on the wall.

"I took the test a week ago. I got my diploma today." He told her and smiled proudly. "I'm now a full dig medic." He said and looked up at Kate who smiled at him proudly. "Couldn't have done it without her help. She was very supportive."

"If I remember right you showed a lot of interest in the art while I was a shipwreck victim on your kitchen floor." Kate said. Echo chuckled and handed her a pen.

"I guess...this starts your life fully?" Misako said.

"Almost." Kate said blushing and looking up at Echo.

"Oh?" Misako said looking at Kate who shook her head and inhaled slowly, but smiled brightly.

"Oh don't worry about it. It won't hurt our work." She shrugged her shoulders and handed the signed sheet to Misako. Echo took Kates hand and walked out of the room. The door closed on its own. Misakos body fell limp, but her arms were still being held up.

"So this is what revenge feels like hum? Poor Miss Misako, your whole family...everyone of them...will die." The voice was low, almost a whisper.

Kate and Echo walked up the ramp toward the Destiny's Bounty chatting about anything and everything. They now had their own place, but they had to come talk to the ninja. It was always their ritual before they went on digs. Visit with family, and friends. Its something they would miss when they were away.

Kate walked up on the top deck only to have people start cheering. She looked a little surprised and then turned to look at Echo who shrugged. He must have told Zane who announced it to the others. Zane had set up some tables and had lots of food on it. It was a celebration for Kate and Echo for passing the tests, and getting the promotion.

"You all spoil us." Kate giggled even spotting Ronin off to one side. He had drug Darreth along for the ride. Apparently the two had hit it off well. Kate didn't realize her brothers door swung that way, but she thought it was adorable.

Ronin seemed to keep tabs on his sister, and sometimes showing up on bad days when she needed to talk to someone and Echo wasn't around, or they had a little argument.

"Of course we spoil you. Your our sister." Cole said waving the idea away and held out a plate with some cake on it. Kate looked at it and then at Cole.

"Don't worry Kate I made the cakes." Pixal said and smiled at her. Pixal also sported a titanium wedding ring that had the Julien symbol on it like herself. Although Kates was Bronze, made from a melted down piece of metal from Echos first form. Echo didn't look a lot like his brother anymore. He had Borg model his hair as a little ruffled rather then completely standing straight up like his brothers. Borg thought it was a lovely idea and toyed with it. Kate thought it was the most perfect change. Although his facial features were still much like his brother.

"As much as I hate to say it. We'll end up having to cut this short. I've got to manage the stock that will go on the ship. Which means now that Echo is a medic I'm going to need him to give me a list of things he'll need." She sighed and looked at Echo.

"It can't wait till tomorrow?"

"Not unless you want to rush everything." She told him. Echo sighed and looked at his oil in his cup. "Oh not right away Echo, just not as longa s we normally are." She giggled swatting at him.

Zane looked at his brother who was playing coy to his wife. He just wanted her to giggle.

"Mr. Borgs finished the machine. Its inside their house." Pixal said looking up at Zane who pulled her to him. He knew what she was suggesting. It was something on their mind for a while. It took three years to perfect. But if by any chance they could...two nindroids...could they have children? They didn't have a sort of DNA. Their were schematic blueprints that sorted themselves out like DNA. But this machine was specialized in in human nindroid DNA. Would it be possible, and could they handle the rejection if it couldn't be done?

"Maybe we'll ask, once they've used it for themselves. It would be rude otherwise." Zane said to Pixal.

After Kate and Echo waved goodbye to their family and friends they made their way back home. Echo fell onto the couch stretching his legs out and watched Kate put her bag near the door. It was a small house they had built near the ocean. Echo just loved the sound, it reminded him of home. Plus it was very scenic, and private where they were. A perfect place to call home. Echos eyes fell on a small letter on the breakfast bar. He stood up and opened the letter.

 _Dearest Julien family,_

 _First off it was an absolutely lovely wedding, and I hope you both have a very long life, and lots and lots of children._

 _Love,_

 _Borg._

 _PS: Tell me if it works. I'd love to see._

Echo gasped and looked at Kate. Kate looked around at him having heard him. She briskly walked over to him curious as to what could cause him to react in such a way.

"Echo?" She asked. He gently took her hand and went down into the basement. Their in the corner was an exact replica of the machine in Dr. Sanzas compound. Kate took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Echo this is...this is that machine." She turned and looked at Echo. He had his hand held out. Kate slowly stepped forward and held out her hand. He dropped the flash drive that had their DNA saved on it. Her hand went up to her mouth and she looked up at Echo.

"This...This is the…" She swallowed hard not able to talk.

"Do you want to be a parent with me?" He asked. Apparently this had been done without Kates knowledge. He knew she had a deep desire to have children which was a lot of the problem at the court. If it weren't for Borg showing them the blueprints for this machine then they probably wouldn't have had the court's permission to marry.

"Echo...what would it...be?" She asked. Her legs stepped forward without her. She held her hand out and touched the tank. It was warm.

"Whatever it wants." Echo said pulling up the display. He held his hand out for hers. She lowers the flash drive into the machine and Echo pushed the activate button.


	2. Chapter 32

_**Authors Notes: Forewarning. Tomorrows might be late...I might forget to post it because of the new episode. Its happened twice now. Just saying lol**_

* * *

 _ **Master of String**_

 _ **Chapter 32**_

 ** _Girl...?_**

Darreth stood at the top of the staircase looking over his new club. Brand new and mostly owned by his boyfriend Ronin. But it was done, and absolutely beautiful. Technically he was open now, but he hadn't advertised yet so their wasn't that many people yet. Just a couple here and there wandering in singing a few songs, and drinking a bit before leaving as expected. The door opened and in walked Misako. Darreth smiled and ran down the stairs to seat her.

"Good evening Mrs. Misako. I didn't know you knew about this place." He said walking behind the bar. Misako smiled at him and shrugged.

"I heard Ronin talking to Kate earlier about it. Thought I'd come say hi." She said and smiled kindly.

"Aww you didn't have to do that." He said setting a drink down in front of her. "This is our signature drink. Its a berry Mojito." He said and went back to cleaning the bar. Even though it was spotless, it was simply a matter of pride.

"So I hear Kates gone to Metaldonia."

"Yes their is a large amount of artifacts found within a mine. We're not to sure just yet what they are yet. But thats why she's going." Misako said making small talk.

"Thats got to be exciting for her. Ronin says she loves history for as long as she could remember."

"Is that so?" Misako said and took a sip of the drink and looked up at Darreth. "I'm sure you know she's been promoted yes?"

"Yeah their was a little shindig on the Bounty for her and Echo today. But they left early."

"Oh poor things. Its got to be all that work they've been doing lately." Misako said and stood up looking around the bar. She giggled seeing the Karaoke area. "Do you sing?" She asked Darreth. Darreth laughed and shrugged.

"Once upon a time yes. My old voice isn't what it used to be."

"Oh?"

"All that yelling back during that stone war...I'm afraid I can't sing as loud as I used to much less yell." He said. Misako turned around. Her eyes a deep crimson color.

"Perfect." She threw something at Darreth. Darreth gasped feeling his limbs move on their own.

"What...What are you doing?!" He called out his limbs felt numb now. "No stop Misako!" He called his breathing came in gasps. "Help! Help me!" He cried out. Not nearly as loud as he would have liked. As he said his yell wasn't as strong as it used to be. His whole body was numb now.

"You'll become one of my slaves Darreth." Misakos voice had been replaced by that of an unknown voice.

"What are you going to do with me?" His voice was weak now. His eyes were closing involuntarily.

"I can get to Ronin through you. Ronin helps those ninja. Misako fights me if I try to get to her son through her. I'm still to weak to fight back completely with someone as strong as her. But you...a weakling. You'll be easy."

"Ronin…Don't hurt him...please." His eyes closed succumbing to the sleep provided by the poison on the string. A string attached to his throat and Darreths body stood up on its own. His eyes were a crimson color rather then their perfect brown.

"Yes he was far easier to take over then you Misako." He said in Darreths voice. "You can go find a corner and sit in it." He pointed to the closet.

* * *

Kate slowly sat up, she and Echo had fallen asleep on the floor of their basement. Their was a blanket on her so he did wake up and fetch one. Her eyes fell on the pinkish purple liquid of the tank. Their were white blotches all over in there now like it was gathering materials. In the middle their was a very very small orb. Almost like an embryo. The only reason why she knew it was there was because of the monitors. She sighed and looked up the stairs.

She almost didn't want to leave the little thing. But the countdown clock said one hundred and ninety days. She sighed and started to walk up the stairs. She had to go to the bathroom anyways. She arrived at the top of the stairs and was welcomed by the smell of breakfast. She walked over and wrapped her arms around Echos middle planting a gentle kiss on the nap of his neck.

"Its so small." Kate whispered into his audio. She could hear the smile in his words.

"She'll grow." He said.

"She?" Kate asked taking the toast from the toaster.

"Well yes. Unless we're here during a certain part of the development to choose it to be a male." He said Kate shrugged her shoulders not really caring either way.

"It is the males choice on weather its a girl or a boy anyways." She said grabbing the butter. "We're so late." She laughed and pushed the luggage out to the car a piece of toast in her mouth.

"Come on Kate just eat your breakfast and we'll worry about that later." He told her holding up a place of eggs and bacon.

"Oh don't you use that cute face on me." She said snagging the plate and started to eat fast.

"Don't eat fast or you'll get a stomach ache...again." He scolded her. Kate giggled shaking her head at him.

"Yes dad…" She put emphasis on the dad part. He blushed purple at the word. He made a gasp noise and he sat down on the couch. His hand on his helm.

"Dad…" He said. Kate slowly walked over to him. She sat down on the coffee table and looking him in the eyes.

"You okay?" The concern was written all over her features.

"I'm going to be a dad." He said. Kate nodded her head and giggled.

"Yes you are, and I'll be a mom. Now have you called your brother?" Kate asked Echo nodded his head and smiled.

"He's agreed to babysit while we're gone. I'll get daily progress reports." He told her. Kate smiled walking into the bathroom and began to brush her teeth. She heard the sliding glass door open and Echo yelling at the top of his lungs at the ocean.

"I'm going to be a daddy!" He yelled. She loved the enthusiasm. She was rather worried he'd begin to reject the infant...much like her father did. Specially after he said she. It was one of the reasons why her father hated her so. She as a girl. Thats how Echo found her after his announcement to the world. Staring at the water falling into the sink. The toothbrush lazily hanging from her mouth. The look of pure pain on her face. The thought of Echo rejecting anything was news to her. So why did this seem to rub her the wrong way.

"Kate?" Echo turned her around pulling the toothbrush from her mouth. She looked up at him. "Whats wrong? Your not having second thoughts are you?" Echo asked. Kate gasped and shook her head.

"N...No." She said pushing past him and walked out of the room.

"Kate…" Echo practically ran after her to get her to stop.

"Its stupid okay. Don't worry about it. Honestly...I'm fine." She said. Echo's stirn look didn't go away. He continued to hold her there. "Echo…"

"You promised." Not to keep anything from one another anymore. Specially if it hurts. They had been together now for four years. He knew when she needed to talk.

"Its stupid...but I have that irrational fear. About the baby being a girl, and you'll hate her for it. Just like my dad did to me." She swallowed hard looking down at her feet. She was ashamed for thinking it. "I'm sorry. I trust you. Thats why it was a stupid thought. Thats why I wanted to keep it to m…" Echo pulled Kates chin up so she would look at him.

"Katherine Rose Julien...that baby in their is me and you. Me...and you. Its a girl, it will stay that way. If I wanted a boy I could change that. You just never see a lot of girl nindroids." He said grazing his lips over hers.

"Don't call me that...Its Kate."

"I know you hate that name...its why I said it." Echo said and got swatted in the arm. "Hey now lets not result to violence. Its not good for the baby." He ran out to the car having picked up his shoes on the way out.

The flight to Metaldonia was only two hours. But upon landing the weather went from summer to winter pretty fast. Kate pulled on a jacket and her boots Echo had got for her as agreed. The majority of the areas buildings were made of metal.

Kate looked up at Echo who also pulled on his jacket. As much as he hated to say it, even Nindroids would get cold in the extreme weather like this. They stood waiting for their luggage, Echo stood behind Kate rubbing her arms up and down attempting to warm her up a bit. Kate noticed a little boy playing with a toy plane. His eyes however weren't on his toy it was on Echo. The look of sheer surprise in his eyes at seeing a real nindroid. Kate giggled and looked up at Echo who leaned down and kissed her forehead. Being close to someone that had an internal heater had its perks.

"Oh here." Echo said picking up the suitcase and started to walk toward the exit where they had a car waiting.

"So he's your slave yes?" The driver asked. Kate looked appalled at such a notion. She looked at the driver then at Echo and then the suitcase.

"We're married." Kate spat. Echo shook his head putting the suitcase into the trunk.

"Married...to robot?" His english was much like the elemental master of metal.

"Yes." Echo said opening the car door and got in followed by Kate.

"Das got to be boring." He mumbled to himself. He got in and drove toward the dig site. Kate leaned against Echo, she hated riding planes they always made her feel sleepy. Echo knew this and let her put her head down on his shoulder.


	3. Chapter 33

_**Authors Notes: This chapter is a lot longer then I thought it was going to be. But character development is a must!**_

* * *

 _ **Master of String**_

 _ **Chapter 33**_

 _ **Cave of Gold?**_

Ronin walked into Darreths club and stopped in the middle of the place admiring what his boyfriend did. It was a lot better then he had actually thought he was going to do. Not only that but Darreth did a lot of the work himself to save on money. A lot of said money was Darreths from selling the Dojo which he found to be a lot less then he was going to get thanks to the taxes. Ronin tried very hard to sell it to Darreths specs, but of course that never set right. But they were able to purchase the club he was standing it and doll it up a bit. It looked awesome to Ronin.

"Babe!" He yelled looking around. Darreth looked out of the back room and smiled at his boyfriend who was standing there remarkably in a white button up shirt, and black pants. Even his hair was brushed back and tied off in a low ponytail.

"Ronin you look great!" Darreth yelled and santered up and kissed his cheek. They never acted like this in front of other people. Ronin was incredibly private when it came to things like that. Yet when they were in private like this Darreth took full advantage and hugged up to him a lot. Ronin didn't mind really, he wasn't used to it mind you but the feel of someone he loved near him actually felt great and he finally understood just what his sister felt for Echo.

"We ready?" Ronin asked buttoned up the top button and let Darreth put a bowtie on him. One what was colored red like Ronins hat which Darreth took off of him and put behind the bar for safe keeping.

"Why the bowtie though?" Ronin asked looking at his reflection in the mirror. Darreth looked a little down cast.

"I thought you looked great in it." He told his boyfriend. Ronin gave him a small smile and gave him a kiss to show him it was okay to put it on him, he just didn't feel right in it.

"Just not used to looking like this...respectable...and stuff. Actually making money for once rather then stealing it. Making an honest living. You know what your doing don't you?" Ronin wiggled his finger in front of Darreths face. Darreth looked a little like he was in trouble.

"Oh?" Darreth asked ready to back away if Ronin threw one of his fits he saw only once before when Kate tried to get him to wear his tux at her wedding. Kate just stood there with her arms crossed in her wedding dress.

"Your making an honest man out of me Darreth." He took his boyfriends hand and pulled him into a hug. Darreth took a labored breath trying not to cry. "Thank you." He whispered Darreths eyes flashed red Ronin found them he couldn't move at all. Darreth stood back and looked at Ronin and looked at him strangely.

"Babe?" He asked

"Darreth...I can't...I can't move." Ronin said and tried pulling again. "Quick...run. Go get help. Call the ninja. Do something!" Ronin asked looking at his boyfriend for help. Darreth ran behind his bar and picked up the phone and dialed the phone and put it up to his ear and waited.

"Phones are dead!" He yelled. He looked up at Ronin whose eyes were fading.

"No...you can't have him." Ronin said to no one. Darreth ran over to the door and tried to get out. The doors were locked and unable.

"Ronin!" Darreth sounded like he was panicking. He ran back over to Ronin. "I can't get out." He said trying to pull at his boyfriends arms.

"W..Windows. Babe the windows. Break one...run."

"But those cost money." He told Ronin, Ronin gasped when he realized someone was standing behind Darreth. Misako stood there with one of the bar stools.

"Darreth run!" Ronin yelled. Darreth grunted when the chair hit him. He fell to his hands and knees. He stood up with some effort. He shielded Ronin from Misako.

"I won't let you hurt him." His voice was rough and hurt sounding. Misako grabbed a leg from the bar stood and hit Darreth. Darreth clung to Ronin.

"Darreth…" Ronins voice sounded weak, but worried. He couldn't pass out. Not now. Not when Darreth needed him.

"Ronin…" Darreths eyes glowed red for a moment before Darreths eyes glowed and he fell to his back. The red faded and the strings let go of Darreth. Darreths eyes opened once again under his own control. He saw Ronin standing over him. Eyes glowing red now.

"Its a pity don't you think?" Ronins voice wasn't his own. "You aren't even my main target. You just...got in the way." He said kicking Darreth in the ribs. Darreth gave a struggled breath before passing out.

"Tie him up and put him in the closet...and sit down with him. Make sure he doesn't move. If he tries to leave...beat him again."

* * *

Kate and Echo got out of the taxi. The cave they were supposed to be researching was beyond the trees. Kate threw the money onto the front seat and glared at the man before walking with Echo toward the cave. Once inside they were met with quite a few lights being strung together on the ceiling. Water was flooding the floor from spraying the sand from the walls which was far more gentle then the brushes.

"Got your name tag?" Kate asked Echo. Echo chuckled and pulled it from his pocket and put it on. "Good cause...here comes the security."

"I'm sorry this is a private dig no one is allowed here without proper papers." Kate pulled the papers out and handed it to the man. He gasped and looked at them both.

"Oh you're the boss…" He said and looked at Echo. "And you?"

"I'm the CMO." He told him. The man chuckled.

"Of course...get a robot to do a mans job."

"He is a man." Kate yelled. It echoed in the cave much to everyones ears that now echoed in their heads too.

"Kate…" Echo said and chuckled. "That echo was far more then even I could take." Kate wasn't sure if he was playing or actually stating it.

"Begging your pardon madam but...this state isn't a free living state. Androids aren't supposed to work as humans do."

"Well good thing he's a nindroid and given a human citizenship. Moreover he was allowed to marry as well." Echo stood up tall as Kate told the man this. He loved hearing Kate do this sort of thing. She stopped being so timid after facing so many people saying the same things on tv during the court hearing which was almost always televised. She would always say it the same...every time.

"Married...him?" A woman said her accent was unusual even to Kate who had heard a lot of them working as a paper pusher for a shipyard.

"Yes him." Kate said and rolled her eyes. "Alright I'm Kate Julien your archeologist. This is Echo your CMO… Echo will be working on the dig with us. If you have any problems please issue them with me."

"Wait...Julien?" A woman in the back said. Kate looked up over them to see an old woman with almost white hair. "That wouldn't be Dr. Archibald Julien would it? Are you his son?" The woman asked. Echo nodded his head not really sure what to say to this woman since he wasn't to sure who she was.

"I went to school with him. He and I go way back." The woman waved at him. Echo blushed and bowed to her respectively.

"I'm Echo Julien."

"Wait...you two are married?" The man that had been asking the questions asked. Kate nodded her head and rolled her eyes at his negative tones.

"Yes...we are." She said and watched Echo go talk to the woman. Probably reminisce about his father and their school years.

"I beg your pardon miss." The voice was low and almost to quiet to hear. Kate turned almost expecting to be bombarded by more questions. When she looked at the girl with dirty blond hair and brown eyes she saw the clip board and smiled at her. Time to get to work.

"You can call me Dr. Kate."

"I'm Uma." She said and smiled back at her. "If you would follow me I'll show you around the dig. I'll be your personal assitant while your here. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask." She said.

Echo watched his wife follow a young girl probably the same height as her.

"So how did you two meet?" The woman asked brushing the tool over the golden pieces.

"She shipwrecked on my fathers island. I cared for her, and we fell in love. Its been four years now." He told her.

"I think your father would have loved her too. Shes protective of those she loves dearly."

"She used to not be that way. She used to be very tender around people because of her father being abusive. But she learned she had a voice when people kept trying to split us up." Echo said watching her still.

"And this is the artifact we found. Ms. Hamferdi has been trying to restore it. We've carbon dated it to being about twenty thousand years old."

"That old!" Kate asked. "I don't think I've ever seen anything so well preserved to be that old. But…" Kate looked at the piece and looked up at Ms. Hamferdi who held it out for her.

"You can call me Grace." She told Kate. Kate blushed and smiled at her.

"Ms. Grace did you notice?" She asked. She nodded slowly and Kate turned to look at Uma. Uma looked a little confused.

"May I ask what you mean?" She asked. Kate ran her fingers over the golden statue.

"Its fools gold." She said. Grace shrugged her shoulders.

"Does that mean its a fake artifact?" Echo asked. Kate looked at Echo and nodded her head.

"This is all fake...all of it." She said and called out to everyone in the room to bring every artifact to her. She looked over every single piece and shook her head at them.

"Who called for this investigation to be had in the first place when a first year college student can tell this is a faked dig?" She asked shaking her head.

"It was Mrs. Garmadon madam." The man asked His name was Luth.

"I see…" Kate held up her phone and dialed Misakos number. It rang and rang...no answer. She looked up at Echo and then dialed Zanes number. She wasn't to accustomed to talking to Lloyd. For some reason she felt it was pushing buttons if she did. She wasn't sure why. Perhaps it had something to do with her usual insecurities. He was the Master now after all.

"Yes?" Zane answered the phone.

"I have a problem...and I'm going to need your help."

"Whats going on?"

"I'm at the dig now. I think...its a trap." She looked around at the others and looked at Echo. Echo nodded his head looking around at the others each one seemed to have some sort of weapon nearby. A pickaxe, Shoves, chizels, even a few knives. One person even had a gun.

"Kate? Tell me what you see."

"The artifacts were decoys. We're being glared at from all sides."

"Can you get out?" Zane asked he could hear Lloyd in the background asking most of the questions. Kate looked up at Echo who nodded his head and looked at Kate.

"It should be simple." Echo said.

Kate threw the table forward and pulled the old woman behind it. Kate had learned the basics of self defense. But thats just what it was self defense she wasn't going to win any battles. Echo on the other had was a ninja now and would be able to handle himself.

"Kate are you alright?" Zanes voice asked. Ms Hamferdi picked it up and held it up to her ear.

"They're...fighting." She told Zane. Zane didn't know the voice but listened anyways.

Kate picked up a shovel and glared at one of the men who charged at her. She swung it down on his leg breaking it instantly. He cried out in pain and fell sideways clutching it with a yell.

"Just how many are there?" She yelled Echo grabbed one of the men and threw him onto the table with all the artifacts.

"Twelve now." He said and bodily threw a man into two others. Kate looked at Uma who had a knife in one hand.

"Run kid. You don't need this." Kate told her. Uma glared threw red tinted eyes.

"You will die Kate Julien. You and your whole family will die." She told her. Kate looked around at Echo. Echo shoved the table into the other five men. He was laughing he always wanted to fight like he was in a bar. He threw a chair at another.

"Echo her eyes are glowing red!"

Echo turned slightly to see the girl.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"It doesn't matter my dear...she's dead anyways." The voice was different. She threw the knife at Kate. Kate dodged it, but a thin line of red on her cheek was what was left of it. "You however...will become one of us. I will get into your mind. You will be mine."

"Not a chance!" Echos voice drifted into Kates mind.

A chair came out of nowhere hitting Uma full on. She stumbled back and landed on her side. Echo grabbed Kates hand and ran for the mouth of the cave. They burst into the cold night air before they realized they were gone.


	4. Chapter 34

_**Authors Notes: Heres a chapter early...because I'm bored. Enjoy :D Don't forget to review please. Honestly I want to hear what you think!?**_

* * *

 _ **Master of String**_

 _ **Chapter 4**_

 _ **Trying**_

The wind whipped around the couple. It was whipping the snow so hard around them that they had to tie themselves together with a rope in Kates bag. Echo kept in touch with his brother through their link. But Kate couldn't hear anything save for the wind blowing past her ears. Every so often Echo would turn and look to see if she was alright. As long as they kept moving they would be. He couldn't see much of her face because it had a scarf around it and goggles over her eyes. All he could really see was the bits of red hair pocking through the top of her hood.

They had been out in the snow for some time now. Probably about five hours waiting for the Bounty to find them. Kate knew that they wouldn't be found easily since they had to keep moving. The constant walking would keep their systems pumping blood. Although Echos system didn't have blood. Oil didn't freeze very easily. Yet Kate could see Echo was becoming sluggish. His limbs were locking up. She herself felt like her brain was freezing in her skull. Her ears were ringing too.

"Echo…" Kate tried to say, but she couldn't get her voice above a whisper. She tried again. She tugged on the rope. Echo turned and looked at Kate who looked up at him tiredly. He walked back and put his hand on her shoulder.

"We can't stop. I'm sorry. I know you're tired. So am I. But if we stop we'll freeze to death." She could hear him breathing through his own scarf. It was a scarf she had given him. But him breathing was a bad sign. It meant his systems were firing off properly. Zanes did the same thing.

"Echo...your systems."

"I'm fine Kate...please. Lets just keep going." He turned and started to walk again. Kate had to move her legs a little to actually get them to function properly. Echo waited patiently understanding the condition she was in. Suddenly grateful for the fact that she herself wasn't pregnant or the baby would probably have died out in this.

It had nearly been an hour when Echo felt a tug again, he was ready to argue his point again. He turned to see Kate on her knees. She tried to stand up, but her legs wouldn't move properly. She looked up at Echo apologetically. He ran over to her and picked her up. Her head rested on his shoulder. She was so tired, she had to rest. Her brain felt like pudding now. Frozen, slushy pudding.

"Kate you've got to keep moving." Echos voice was slow, and choppy.

"Echo I...can't feel my legs." She whispered and gasped seeing a light flashing down at them. Echo looked up and fell to his knees. His optics froze up finally he couldn't see much.

"Kate…" He fell to his side Kate being held protectively in his arms. "Zane...brother. She's passed out." He told him.

"We're here. Don't worry. I see you. Hang on a little longer." Zane landed close to him having jumped down the rope. He ran over to his brother and pulled the scarf from his face. Echo fought him for a moment not to sure what was going on. Kate had been pulled from his arms by someone he was unable to see. He felt himself being sat up, something warm being pressed against his mouth. He heard his brothers voice in his ear.

"Its warm oil Echo...drink it." He slowly opened his mouth and felt the warm liquid slide slide down his throat. To him it tasted like the best oil ever. Warm, creamy, and Zane probably made it himself. He opened his eyes to see that he was in a nice warm bed within the Bounty. Kate was laying next to him in an electric blanket. Her cheeks were flushed and she was sweating profusely.

"Zane?" His voice cracked again. Zane looked at his brother, the cup in his hands.

"She's alright. Just a touch of hypothermia." Pixal said from the corner where she was sitting down her legs propped up on the bed. In her hands was a tablet. She handed it to Zane. Zane held it out so Echo could see.

"We set up a few security cameras in the basement of your house so we can keep an eye on the development." Pixal told him. Echo looked at it and smiled warmly.

"She looks to be developing perfectly." Someone else said in the corner. Echo slowly turned his head to see Borg. "Assuming she stays a she. Have you decided?"

"She will stay a girl." Echo said and smiled sitting back. His eyes drifted to Kate. She looked to be having a dream. She mumbled something and smiled. Echo wondered just who she was dreaming about. His eyes drifted over her form and shook his head. Her smiled however disappeared and she looked horrified for a moment before her eyes shot open. She gasped when she realized a lot of people were looking at her.

"Um…" She scooted a little closer to Echo. Echo smiled down at her until her mind wrapped around who these people were. She tried to speak, but nothing came out.

"Its alright you've just got a bit of hypothermia. Your voice will return when your not to sick anymore." Borg told her. Kate nodded her head and lay back down. Her head felt heavy, and still filled with cotton. At least it didn't feel frozen anymore. Actually she felt warm now. She rolled over pressing her forehead to Echos shoulder. He scooted over a little and pulled her in.

Borg smiled at them and looked up at Zane.

"Perhaps some soup? I'd go make it myself, but I can't reach your stove. The Bounty isn't actually wheelchair friendly."

"I'll go Zane. You can stay with your brother." Pixal said and kissed his cheek on her way out. Zane chuckled before turning back to see his brother looking at him slyly.

"You do not have to be here if you want to be with her." Echo said. Zane smiled and shook his head.

"I almost lost you again brother. Forgive me if I say I'm fine where I am." He said and scanned Kate once again. Her temperature was still in the three digits. Echo looked at the display on the monitor as Zane updated it.

"How long were we out?" Echo asked. Zane sat back down on a chair beside his brother.

"Close to three days." He said looking back at the tablet for a few moments to see his brand new niece seeing if she was alright. The counter still said One hundred and seventy eight days. It was taking to long in Zanes opinion. He was never one for impatience but here he was tapping his finger on his knee.

"Three days. Has Misako been informed that we are alright?"

"Echo...Misako is missing." Zane said. Echo sat up suddenly causing Kate to wake up and look around wondering what was wrong with her husband.

"Echo?" Kate whispered. Echo put his hands on her shoulders lowering her back down onto the pillow coaxing her to get some more rest.

"Its alright, just a bit of bad news." Echo said. Kate sat up and looked at Echo in the optics.

"The baby?" The sudden worried look on her face had almost automatic tears in her eyes.

"No no the babies fine." Zane said showing her a tablet with the feed on it. She sighed laying back down watching the feed for a moment. Her eyes seemed to grow heavier and heavier as she watched it. Echo leaned over and nuzzled her for a moment. He looked up at his brother.

"We don't know yet. Thats where Cole and Jay are right now."

"What about the people inside the cave?" Echo asked

"All in custody at the border." Zane said watching his brother lean back. He shivered involuntarily. He looked at Kate again seeing the scratch on her cheek. It still made his oil boil for doing that to her.

"You should have seen her brother." Zane leaned forward pushing his brother back into a laying position. Apparently his scans were showing fatigue in him. He put the oil back up to his brothers lips and let him drink the warm liquid again before Echos optics flashed a few times. "She was...beautiful." His optics went out completely.

"Yes. I'm sure she was." He pulled the blankets back up to his neck. He looked up when Pixal came inside with the tray. She sat down at the other end and cracked a few crackers in the broth and let them soak for a moment. She looked around at Zane who was picking up his own tray to take it back to the kitchen.

"Finally asleep again huh?" She said touching Kates elbow. Kate turned slowly to look at Pixal. "Come...lets get you to eat something?" Pixal said and helped her to sit up. Kate looked around at Echo. She leaned over and kissed his helm. Echos optics onlined for but a moment to look at her smile at him. He sighed contently before closing his optics again.

"You both scared us." Pixal said holding up the spoon.

"I scared me." Kate smiled and let her put the spoon in her mouth. She found that chewing was a taxing job. After chewing the crackers she sat back and sighed.

"Kate?"

"I feel so tired."

"Your body is still waking up after being almost frozen completely. Your heart beat was incredibly slow." Pixal said holding up another spoonful. Kate took the bite. It actually felt warmer now that she was eating something nice and hot.

"Its alright. You'll be able to sleep when your done." Pixal said.

"Where are we?" Kate asked seeing trees by the Bountys window.

"Hiding." Pixal said offering another spoonful.

"From who?"

"We don't know just yet. But Misako is missing. Cole and Jay are searching for her as we speak. Lloyd is at the museum talking to the people there."

"Oh no poor Lloyd he's got to be worried sick." Kate didn't have much a care for parentage. She was sure their were some parents out there that actually cared for their kids. But hers...didn't. Her mother died when she was really young, her brother Ronin left when he was a teenager, her father was an abusive jerk. Kate was sure his belt raised her rather then her father.

"Yes...he is worried." Pixal saw the solemn look on Kates face. Borg turned his chair around again and he wheeled over to Kate taking her hand in his. Two fingers on her wrist and his eyes on the clock in the corner.

"Your pulse is almost back to normal." He told her and smiled. Kate blushed at Borg holding her hand. She didn't to much like being touched by many people. Specially other men. She cleared her throat and pulled her hand away from Borg before he was finished looking through his manual.

"Oh...apologies." Borg said and moved so Pixal could finish. "You'll be back up and running in no time. I'm sure with Echo by your side it'll be much quicker." Borg said and waved at Pixal before wheeling out of the room.

"You do not have to worry about Mr. Borg He will not harm you." Pixal said. Kate blushed and looked down at her hands.

"I'm just not used to being touched by other men." Kate said blushing. Pixal had been informed of her passed by Zane.

"That is understandable." Pixal said holding out a spoon. Kate took a bite and lay back again.


	5. Chapter 35

_**Authors Notes: Now only if I can keep my laptop alive for the next couple of days. Its on its last legs.**_

 _ **Trigger warning: This chapter is pretty graphic at the end. Apologies to Kai fans.**_

 _ **Also this isn't green flame this is big brother protecting little brother!**_

* * *

 _ **Master of String**_

 _ **Chapter 35**_

 _ **Dr. Gary Moore**_

Lloyd and Kai walked up the museum steps. The same steps Lloyd had went up time after time while growing up. Kai had pushed his hood back as he walked inside. At the desk a man with slightly peppered hair, and smartly dressed. His posture was perfect, and his hands were behind his back. This man Lloyd had seen on several occasions while his mother worked at his museum. It was Dr. Moore the museum's curator. He smiled at the man and walked up shaking his hand perfectly as his dad taught him to do.

"Good afternoon my boy." He said in his cheery voice. That voice was actually annoying to hear at the moment as his mother was missing and their wasn't much to be cheery about. But he wasn't sure if Dr. Moore knew how not to be cheery. He had never seen him anything but cheery.

"I'd say the same Doc, but giving the circumstances their isn't anything good about it."

"Oh yes your mother. I'm terribly sorry to hear about that. I had been informed that you wanted to look for clues around her office yes?" He said holding out a ring of keys. "Right this way. Although I'm sure you'd have been able to get in on your own otherwise." He chuckled and walked down the hallway.

"You see your mother had been acting strangely since her dig in Jordan." He told him. "She had been digging into a mountain just north of Jordan in an unnamed area. I could show you on a map though." He told them as he unlocked the door. Within the office it looked normal to Lloyd. He stopped at the entrance and looked at Kai. Kai nodded his head and walked in for a second. He looked behind the door and then at Dr. Moore.

"You sure this is my moms office?" Lloyd asked stepping inside. Dr. Moore opened the door to look at the name tag and then let it fall closed again.

"Thats what it says. Why?" He asked Lloyd. Lloyd looked around at the curator.

"Because either my mom had a maid in here or...someone cleaned up their own mess."

"Yeah Misako liked to keep her stuff where it fell. She liked to leave things mapped out in front of her so she could look over them as she worked. Since she was do over in Metaldonia in a few days I figured that sort of stuff had been…"

"Metaldonia? I didn't authorize a dig in Metaldonia…" The curator said. Lloyd looked surprised, he looked at Kai who shook his head.

"Can you tell us...anything about the dig in Jordan?" Kai asked. The curator nodded his head and walked back out again.

"This is proving to be most distressful." The curator said unlocking another room that honestly reminded them of a storage room. Once the room was unlocked the garage style door opened. Within was a few boxes, and stacks of scrolls.

"Where should we start?" Kai asked looking around inside of boxes pulling out masks, and clay pots. He pulled one out that looked like it was sticking its tongue out at him. He laughed and did the same.

"Oh please do be careful Mr. Smith. Those are irreplaceable." Dr. Moore said and smiled at him. Always cheery.

"Hey Kai look at this guy." Lloyd said pointing at a statue.

"Oh thats the former Master of string." Mr. Moore said with a smile of pride.

"Master of string huh? Never heard of that elemental power."

"Its a power that was never passed on because he was killed by Lord Garmadon back during the serpentine wars." Dr. Moore informed them. The statue had on clothing much like Master Wu used to.

"My father killed him?" Lloyd asked and looked up at the statue before reaching out and touching it. "I'm sorry. My father wasn't a good man back then. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him." LLoyd looked pained to remember his father as Lord Garmadon.

"Its said that this statue was erected for him and his ashes were placed within. It was true until two days ago when we were able to x ray it. It wasn't his ashes that were placed within...it was his body. He had been dipped in bronze. This was his tomb." Kai and Lloyd looked amazed at this. Lloyd had never believed his father to cruel enough to do such a thing. What could have drove his father to do something as cruel as this?

"What...happened?" Lloyd asked.

"Master Denzen was his name. But it was said that the reason why he did this was because of Lord Garmadons family." He looked at Lloyd. "Your mother said he went after her. He killed Mrs. Misakos family, she only got away while pregnant with you because she wasn't home. She had been away." Dr. Moore said and shook his head.

"He did this as an example...he did this to show his enemies not to mess with mom and me." Lloyd said shaking his head looking up at the statues face. Its eyes glowed that crimson color. Lloyd was unable to move.

"Hey Lloyd...lets get out of here. Its giving me the creeps…" Kai said and jumped out of his skin when the door slammed closed. Dr. Moore looked at Kai and then at Lloyd again.

"Young Garmadon. Shouldn't we leave?" He asked looking at Kai. Kai was trying to force the door open again.

"It won't budge." Kai yelled over his shoulder.

"Kai?" Lloyd said. Kai looked around at Lloyd his arms were up at an odd angle.

"Lloyd? Whats wrong?"

"I...I can't breath...Its like someones...squeezing me." red lines were visible around Lloyds throat.

"Forgive me Young Master Garmadon...but I find it easier to take people over if they aren't awake. But don't worry you'll survive...for now." Kai gasped trying to pull at Lloyd.

"Lloyd snap out of it." He couldn't hear the master of strings voice. It was in Lloyds head. Kai watched Lloyd as he was being choked. He couldn't figure out how to free him.

"K…" It was all Lloyd could get out.

"I'm here…" Kai said taking his head in his hands. His fingers trailed over the string marks. "Lloyd…" He looked so helpless as the boy as Lloyds eyes rolled. "He said he was sorry! His dads dead already you don't have to do this!" He yelled to the air. "I'll do anything please. Please let him go."

"Anything…?" The voice was in Kais head. He gasped and looked around. Dr. Moores eyes were glowing red now. Although Kai was sure he had been working for the Master of string the whole time.

"Prove it to me. Prove to me you'll do as I say. I'll let him go…" The voice was amused with him. Kai turned around to see Lloyd the choke hold had been loosened. His green eyes locked onto Kais.

"Whats he doing?" He asked. Kai shook his head.

"There's a box over there...its full of daggers. This boy is like your little brother isn't he? You'd do anything to defend him yes?" The voice asked Kai was already over in the box pulling out a dagger. He pointed it at the statue.

"Now what?" Kai asked. "Am I supposed to set you free or something?"

"Oh nothing so dramatic I promise." The voice said. Lloyd was being lifted off the floor with the string. "Now call your sister and tell her you want her to come…You'll need her for this." Kai shrugged his shoulder and did what he said. Honestly though he actually wanted the back up so when he texted his sister he asked her to bring Jay too. Although he didn't say this to the disembodied voice.

"Alright...now I need blood." He said.

"Kai no!" Kai couldn't hear what Lloyd could hear. Lloyd made a gagging noise. Kai shivered at the word blood.

"What?" Kai asked

"I...want...blood." The Master of string had a smile in his voice.

"Wh...Who's blood?" He asked stepping away from Lloyd.

"Hand the blade to Dr. Moore if you can't." Kai held it out to Moore who took it from him. Kai felt a little relieved. He couldn't have stabbed Lloyd. That was the opposite of what he wanted to do. "I was going to ask for Lloyds blood. Yet it was your fathers metal that I am in cased in." Kai felt the pain before he realized what was going on, and what he might have done. His sister was on her way. He was probably going to have this done to her...by using Jay against her. His breath hitched in his throat. He looked down at his stomach. The dagger stuck out of it. He turned and looked at who actually stabbed him. Lloyd stood there and smiled at him.

"Its a pity really. He really does see you as a brother. A second father figure who protects him always. He's screaming, and crying in the back of his head. To bad he can't do anything." He said and looked at Kai as he grabbed Lloyds Gi.

"I'm going to kill you myself." Kai said. Lloyd smiled pushing Kai off his Gi.

"No...its time for you to die now." Master Denzen said. Kai tried to grab at him again, but missed.

"Here...how about this hum? I'll give you a second with Lloyd. Never say I wasn't a giving man." He said closing his eyes. The green returned and Lloyd spawled for a second. He reached out and grabbed Kai and pulled him to him.

"Calm down." Kai said shivering. "I'll be alright." Kai said. Lloyd tried to hold the wound tightly. He heard someone on the other side of the barricade.

"Kai!" His sister yelled. The garage door opened and in ran Nya and Jay. Jay saw Lloyd holding Kai up. Nya nearly screamed.

"Call an ambulance!" Lloyds voice echoed in the concrete room. "Dr. Moore attacked him." Lloyd pointed to the 'unconscious man' Jay ran over taking Kai from Lloyd.

"Did you find your mom?"

"No...nothing." Lloyd lied. His eyes flashed red. Kais head rested against his chest. His breathing coming in gasps. The blade laying feet away on the ground. Jay looked around at Dr. Moore and narrowed his eyes. If there was one thing Jay knew from watching a lot of murder mysteries...Dr. Moores hand was clean, no blood. Lloyds hand however...red. Blood red.


	6. Chapter 36

_**Authors Notes: My laptop has seen better days OMG...I hate to keep restarting it. Hopefully my new laptop comes tomorrow.**_

* * *

 _ **Master of String**_

 _ **Chapter 36**_

 _ **Hidden**_

Cole and Zane left the police department disappointed. Their lead came up dry, and all they could really do was head back to the bounty empty handed. Thats when Zanes phone rang. He stopped just short of the street. Cole turned to see his brothers expression go from his usual emotionless face to that of pure disbelief. Cole walked over to him and put his hand on his shoulder. Zane kept listening to whoever was on the phone. His feet nearly gave out and he ended up sitting down on the steps.

"Zane what is it? Whats wrong? Is it Echo? Is he alright?" Cole asked. The second in command of the ninja tried to catch Zanes eyes but Zane kept looking back and forth over the crowd.

"Its Kai." Zane finally said. Cole looked a little bewildered.

"Whats wrong with Kai?" Cole asked.

"He's been stabbed...by the museum curator." Zane said. Coles face went from worry to anger. "Theirs no time for that now Cole. We need to head to the hospital.

"What about Lloyd?" Cole asked worried for their little brother.

"He's fine. Shaken up, but fine." Zane said and put his phone back up to his ear. Pixal answered the phone. She had been left in charge of looking after Echo and Kate. They were still unconscious when he left thirty minutes ago.

"Yes Zane?"

"I'm afraid theirs an emergency. I'm going to need you to watch over them a little longer. Are you alright with that." Zane asked waving down a taxi. It was a long ride to the hospital.

"Oh yes I'll be fine. Its not like they can't take care of themselves Zane. Whats the emergency?" She asked.

"While Lloyd and Kai were at the museum it would seem Dr. Moore attacked them. Kai was stabbed. We're on our way to the hospital." Zane said and sighed looking at Cole who got into the taxi first followed by Zane.

"To the Summers Dae memorial hospital." Zane said

(0)

Kai had been hooked up to a lot of different machines. A breathing tube was sticking out of his mouth. His arms had been strapped to the bed on either side of him outstretched. A lot of the machines confused Cole. He looked from them to Kai. The only one he really concerned himself with was the one saying that his heart beat was stable. He had been so scared for the red ninja.

Kais face was pale and it seemed like he were made out of Zanes Gi. Nya sat by his side her hand in his. Jay sat next to her his hand gently pressed against her back. He wasn't to sure what to do, or what to say to make things any better for her. Jay looked up noticing Cole and Zane were in the room. Lloyd sat on the chair his knees against his chest. He was honestly tired of answering the same questions over and over again to the police. Jay stood up and looked at Lloyd.

"You just rest there bud. I'll explain everything to them." He said patting Lloyds back. He looked up at Nya who just nodded her head at him. He left the door open and motioned for Cole and Zane to follow him. Jay could still see Nya from where he stood.

"Somethings not right." Jay said. Zane and Cole looked at one another. They leaned in to hear what Jay had to say.

"Its almost like Lloyd was possessed again." Jay said and shuddered at the feel. He looked around at his siblings and then tried to use his elemental powers.

"See...nothing." Jay said. Zane and Cole looked at each other and attempted to use their powers too. Nothing was happening.

"This is bad…" Cole said.

"We must make it seem that we do not notice anything is amiss. We shall keep an eye on Lloyd. Do not leave him alone anywhere." Zane said.

"What do we do in the meantime? I mean we can't leave Kai alone, and I'm sure Nya won't leave him either."

"I guess that leave you out doesn't it?" Cole said with a knowing smile. Jay blushed and nodded.

"Yeah...I won't leave her alone either. Kai would want that." Jay said looking up at Nya who quickly wiped away a tear.

"Alright...I guess its me and Cole going back to the Bounty. We'll research everything in Misakos office. But we'll need an educated persons views. We need Kate." Zane said and patted Jays shoulder before walking back toward the elevator.

"I'll have you on speed dial if something happens." Cole said.

"I'll keep you updated on Kai." Jay said and walked back into the room.

"So where are they going?" Lloyd asked putting his head down on his knees.

"They went to get Kai, and Nya some cloths." Nya looked up at the sound of her name.

"Oh I don…"

"Yes you do. You know perfectly well that you're not going to leave your brother, and I won't leave you." Jay said touching her cheek. Nya blushed, but turned back to watch her brother. The even beeps of the machine were all that filled the room.

(0)

Kate opened her eyes. Her head was laying on top of Echos arm. Her forehead against his chest. It was a constant she had been doing since they married. She just didn't feel comfortable sleeping any other way after Dr. Sanza's ordeal. She just wanted a reminder that he was there. She could fell if Echo had a good dream or bad dream by where his arm was in the morning. Over her back meant bad dream, in her hand meant good dream. Right now...his arm was completely around her body. He had physically pulled her close. This was odd to her. She attempted to pull away for a moment to get a good look at him, but he meant a gasping noise and clung to her.

"Echo?" She called to him hoping to wake him up out of his dreaming. But he was awake.

"Shh...don't move. I'm hiding you." He whispered quietly pulling the blanket higher up to shield her red hair.

"Where is Kate?" Ronins voice echoed down the hallway.

"She has gone to see about Kai." Pixals voice echoed down the hallway.

"Don't give me that crap." He kicked open the door. He spotted Echo on the bed. "I heard my sister nearly died rust bucket! Where the hell were you?" Ronin asked pointing accusingly at Echo.

"Also freezing to death." Echo said

"By any chance did you see Mrs. Misako?" Pixal asked walking in with a bowl full of oil soup for Echo. Echo smiled at Pixal thanking her. Pixal put it on the bedside table before looking around at Ronin again.

"No...why?" Ronin asked.

"Well she's missing. So if you hear anything please tell us. Lloyd will be very grateful if you do Ronin." Echo said taking a bite of the soup Pixal fed him.  
"Sure thing…" He said. "Hey whats that?" Ronin asked looking at the tablet at the end of the bed. He looked over it and chuckled.

"That would be a baby." Pixal smiled kindly.

"Oh and whose kid?" Ronin asked putting the tablet back down.

"Kate, and Echos." Pixal said Ronin chuckled and walked toward the door only just jump and turn back around.

"Kate and Echos! H...How?" Ronin asked his eyes flashed and Ronin fell to his knees grabbing his head. Echo sat up looking at Ronin.

"Hey Ronin are you alright?" Echo asked.

"No...no I'm not! Echo! Misako and Darreth...they've been…" Ronin looked up in tears. "Misako and Darreth are in the clubs basement closet. Theirs this thing...it…" He shook his head again and looked up at Pixal. "Come on we gotta go rescue them."

"As much as I hate to say it...but we'll need to find out how to save them before we can physically go do it." Zane said walking into the room with Cole.

"You okay under there butterfly?" Coles little nickname for Kate ever since Halloween. It bothered her so much to be called that so of course Cole kept doing it. Kind of like him calling Zane tincan or pinky. Jay being called Zaptrap too.

"I'm alright." Kate said pulling the hot blanket off herself. Echo helped her up.

"Kate I gotta know...was Pixal kidding?" He pointed at the tablet. "Are you pregnant with a nindroid?" He squealed out the last half. Kate giggled and shook her head.

"No and yes. I'm not pregnant but that still is my baby as much as it is his." Echo stood up tall poofing out his chest. Ronin sighed and shook his head.

"Just don't name it Echo Jr. okay…"

"Okay name her Echo Jr. Got it…" Kate said. Ronin yelled aloud and threw his arms in the air. Echo looked down at Kate.

"You don't mean that do you?"

"No. I figure a bit more of a feminine name." Kate said and giggled.

"Okay good. Kates way better then Echo anyways."

"Okay we're not naming her after me. If anything name her after Pixal. Its a beautiful name." Pixal looked up and blushed green like her eyes.

"Oh no not me." She said and looked at Zane. Zane chuckled.

"I think Harmony would be a poetic name." Zane offered. Everyone stopped and looked at him.

"Harmony…?" Kate said looking at the baby on the tablets video feed. Her eyes softened and she looked up at Echo. He smiled and nodded his head.

"Harmony." Echo looked up at his brother. "Thank you brother."

"Anything for you." He smiled "But for now...we're going to need Kates help with research. It would seem something happened to Kai and Lloyd while looking for leads to where Misako is. Her dig over in Jordan. Do you know anything about it?" He asked. Kate nodded her head.

"Yes...thats where the Master of Strings tomb was. I had looked over her notes when she got back on my way to the dig in Metaldonia...which was a total bust. All that research materials as well as the stuff we brought with us is gone now. I'll have to go to the library to find out anything else thats solid."

"I suppose its off to the library then."

"Echo and I can go on our own. You don't have to do and be bored to death." Kate said she hated to hold the others down. Zane smiled at her and looked up at Pixal.

"We don't want to leave you alone. Right now there's safety in numbers." Pixal offered and went to put on her Samurai X outfit.


	7. Chapter 37

_**Authors Notes: This chapter was really annoying to write. It jumps around a lot.**_

* * *

 _ **Master of String**_

 _ **Chapter 37**_

 ** _BOOK!_**

Kate sat behind a huge mound of books. Its something she's done over and over again throughout her life. It was what she was good at and she loved being a help to her family. She looked over her mound of books at them. Cole was sitting in a chair his head bent back and he snored thickly. He could sleep anywhere. She once spotted him sleeping leaned against a wall while he was supposed to be on watch. It was hilarious really.

She looked around at Zane and Pixal. They were looking over books, but Zanes hand was in Pixals. This thumb mindlessly rubbing her hand. They were both smiling about nothing. But then again they could very well be talking, but no one could hear it. Then their was Echo who was scribbling away on some paper. His nose crinkled as he thought about things. It was something she noticed he did while studying.

Kate looked back down at her notes. The librarian brought over more books on Jordan. A lot of the books were devoid of any information about the Master of String. Almost like someone wanted the information erased.

"Kate?" Zane opened a book to show that their was an entire chapter full about the Master of String.

"Perfect what does it say?" Kate asked this caught Coles attention and he groggily paid attention. Zane turned the pages to where the chapter once sat. The pages were missing, ripped completely out of the book.

"Oh...well shit." Ronin said looking over her shoulder. He had a book under one arm and another opened in his arms.

"This library is useless. We're going to have to…"

"Have we thought of looking through Misakos place?" Cole asked. Ronin dropped his book and then looked at Cole.

"Earth man I think we got somewhere to be." He said nearly pulling Cole out of his chair.

"Ronin!?" Kate called. Ronin stopped and turned around. Kate looked iffy about what she was about to say.

"Whats wrong Kate?" Ronin asked stepping up to her. Echo stood up looking over his wife. He scanned her and just smiled before sitting back down.

"Be careful alright?" Kate asked. Ronin smiled at her leaning foreword kissing her forehead.

"For you." He said. He turned to leave only to be pulled back. He cringed for a moment and then melted into his sisters arms. His hand rested on her crown. "I'll be alright sweetheart. Don't worry about me." This was technically their first hug. He wondered how hard it was for her to hug him. He had always felt that she hated him for leaving her behind like he did. Oh if she knew why he did it. His motives with Morro in the first place.

He squeezed her one last time before pulling away.

"Here…" He said pulling something off his belt and took her hand. He pressed it against her hand and looked her in the eyes. "Relax." He said.

"Why?" She gasped when he pushed it into the palm of her hand. When he pulled back their was a small pin prick hold in the very center of her hand. It glowed red through her skin.

"Its a locator. I'll be able to find you whereever you are." He said and Kate giggled.

"You're such a stalker."

"Only for you sister." He said and shrugged. "Don't forget I have a man." He ran after Cole. Echo reached across the table and took her hand scanning it. It flashed. Ronin stopped and looked at his cell phone. He chuckled and looked up at Echo.

"And now I can find you too." Echo said. Ronin nodded and ran out the door. Echo kissed the small wound on Kates hand before looking over his notes.

"Any information in these books are a bit...useless. Perhaps the airjitzu temple?" Zane said. Echo stood up and stretched.

"Its worth a try. Its better then whats going on now. Which is nothing." Kate said putting a book back on the trolly. Pixal stood up stretching herself. She looked around at Zane he too was putting books back on the trolly.

* * *

Ronin looked around at large monistery. Ronin wondered on several occasions what it would have been like to have a home this big. He never actually did it, but he would have loved to live in a large mansion with Darreth. He wanted to give him everything he wanted. But for right now they had the club. Or at least thats what he hoped anyways. Cole looked around the library area and Ronin cracked into the computer. Both of them seemed so ingrossed with what they were doing that they attracted a few onlookers. After an hour a woman walked in with tea with sandwiches and sat it down on the table. Ronin looked at Cole and pointed to the food. He shrugged and took a wedge and looked back over his books. He suddenly stood up and bit down on the sandwich.

"Looks like this might be a revenge thing." Cole said handing the book over to Ronin who read over it. He sighed and nodded his head.

"Alright now hears something. Bronze." Ronin said and looked at Cole. "Theirs a reason why he was incased in Bronze."

"So it as Echos bronze body you touched that caused things to go back to normal. I thought it was the surprise of the baby." Cole said standing up and stretching.

"That being said...we're going to need a lot of bronze." Ronin said pulling his phone out and dialed his sisters number. Kate answered the phone almost immediately.

"Got anything? We just went through the airjitzu temple without anything. Mostly just books on air currents, and cooking." Kate said with a low giggle.

"Yeah the guy really liked his food." Cole said pulling his hair back in a pony tail.

"We'll meet you back at the Bounty then." Kate said Cole sighed sitting back against the door frame for a moment and then slowly stepped back inside closing the door behind him.

"Whats wrong Cole?" Ronin asked putting the phone back in his pocket. Cole slowly walked toward the windows and looked out and then looked back at Ronin.

"We're surrounded." He told him. He walked over to the table and flipped it onto its side. Ronin pulled his phone back out sending Kate and SOS. It was all he could do. He was pretty sure Echo would get it before Kate did though.

Something shattered the glass and landed near a bookshelf the bookshelf went up in flames.

"Shit! They're trying to kill us off." Ronin yelled. The old books and scrolls were catching fire fast. Cole pulled down the curtain and started trying to smother the fire. It wasn't working, the curtains themselves were pretty old and started to catch fire as well.

"Open to suggestions." Cole said and turned when something metal hit the floor. Cole looked up to see Ronin holding his hand out for him.

"Come on dirt bag. They'll think we died." He said pulling Cole into the vent.

* * *

Kate jumped when she looked at her phone just as soon as she put it back into her pocket. She gasped seeing the SOS on it. She looked up at Echo who was jogging up to her. He must have gotten the same message.

"Come...the Bounty is around the corner." He said taking her hand and running toward the ship. Echo could feel Kates pulse through her wrist. She was panicking for her brother. She was afraid he wasn't going to make it this time.

"Echo?" She whispered unsure of what was going to happen.

"He's strong Kate. He'll be fine." Echo called over his shoulder to her. Kate climbed up the rope first being helped by Echo. She wasn't very good at climbing at all.

"Kate, Echo!" Kate looked up to see Jay.

"Jay!" Echo exclaimed. He was always so much more chipper with Jay. He was his first friend after all.

"Hows Kai?"

"Awake." Jay said motioning for them to follow.

"Ronin and Cole are sending a distress signal. We've got to go to Misakos home." Echo informed Jay. Jay stopped and nodded running toward the wheelhouse. Echo looked around at Kate and shook his head. Kate gasped covering her mouth. They got to Jay. Echo pulled his phone out and texted his brother wondering where he was. Echo sighed waiting for his brother to text him.

* * *

"So...your a robot who is also an elemental master?" Pixal was on the ground her hip was sparking, and Zane stood over her protectively. Misako stood near the bar a sword in hand. It was one of Ronins swords he must have dropped or left behind for her while he was possessed. Pixal didn't expect her to attack so suddenly.

"Where is Darrreth." Zane asked.

"Alive...thats all you need to know."

"You can not possess me."

"Oh I am not ghost. I don't possess. I am the master of string. I control." He said snapping his fingers. Zane gasped holding his arms up over his head.

"Now I may not be able to get into your head as I do everyone else, but I can shut you up...and control your body." The master said.

"Pixal...run. Tell the others." Zane strained so much that his shoulders began to spark and pop. "They know whats going on."

"Oh they only know the half of it. You see...they still seem to think that it has something to do with the original Master of String. When thats far from the truth. Way far from it." The laugh echoed in the room. Zane found himself walking up the stairs to the balcony.

"Stop! What are you doing to him!" Pixal yelled taking hold of Zanes hand and trying to pull him back down the stairs. Pixal gasped and found herself being pulled back by the string. Her own body was being controlled.

"You can thank that green ninja. A few days ago I couldn't have been able to take two at the same time. But oh this energy he holds. Even now I'm sucking the life force from him slowly. His father will pay for what he did to us...He will pay." Pixal gasped watching as Zane kicked the railing from the balcony. Zane sent a message to Echo in a last ditch effort.

' _Echo...Echo please listen. Pixal and I are being taken. Protect Kate, Pro…_ ' Zane threw himself from the top balcony. He hit the ground his legs popped and sizzled. He lay on his front watching Pixal staring at him with unseeing eyes.

"Pix…?"

"Pixal is gone." Zane felt his heart squeeze in his chest.

* * *

Echo gasped and looked at Kate.

"Promise me...don't leave my side at all. No matter what I say. Please?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Zane and Pixal have been taken. We need to find Ronin and Cole. They're the last."


	8. Chapter 38

_**Authors Notes: Not to long now. Just a few more chapters and we'll be done.**_

* * *

 _ **Master of String**_

 _ **Chapter 38**_

 _ **Rage**_

Once again Cole found himself looking right at Ronins ass. He grumbled to himself not really appreciating such a view. These vents weren't really designed for heavy set muscular men either. Their were making progress, but it was slow moving since they had to inch along. He also hated all this dust. The building was old, he was sure this vent system was put in after the building was built. This was after all the old family home. Cole stopped his eyes grew wide.

"Dude...you said this place was the old house that belonged to Misako right?"

"Yeah the book you handed me said that her family was massacred by the Master of String." Ronin turned a little to look down at Cole.

"Why did he attack Garmadon exclusively? More to go after his family." Cole shook his head and gasped as the vent shifted on the wall. Cole gasped and they both began to press forward hoping that no one noticed that. Ronin yelped in pain and wiggled his hand.

"I think the fires spreading earth man." He said he could see thick black smoke up ahead slowly drifting toward them.

"What now?"

"I guess we have no choice but to get off over there." He said pointing to the vent. Cole backed up and kicked the vent door. He peaked out seeing an empty room. It was filled with smoke, but they were able to climb down onto a bed. It was one of the guest rooms near Lloyds room.

"Stay low you idiot." Ronin shoved Coles head down below the smoke. "I hope they hurry or we'll have to make a break for it."

Cole opened the door a little and looked outside the door. The hallways were full of that thick black smoke. He turned to Ronin and motioned for him to follow. They both crawled from the room headed toward the back entrance near the kitchen. The air was beginning to sting their eyes, and the air was thick. Whatever they did they had to hurry. Cole looked into the dining room next to the kitchen and gasped. The room was up in flames. They couldn't get out that way. It must have been where the vents that burned Ronin were. Ronin started to cough, Cole turned and helped him pull his scarf up over his mouth. That would help for now. He himself had his Gi up over his face hoping to get out before it got worse.

"We'll have to find a window or something…" Ronin said clearing his throat again. "Go back to that room." Ronin said and followed Cole back. Once inside Cole went over to the window and Ronin closed the door. They threw open the window and looked outside. They were up a little high. Cole gasped and threw himself to the floor as Ronin followed suit. Another molotov cocktail sailed into the room and hit the wall. The blue fire spread quickly. Cole started to cough. The door was threw open a man walked into the room. Cole ran forward pulling a pair of knives out.

"Your in my way!" Cole yelled. The person sidestepped and slammed his arms down on Coles back. Cole hit the ground hard. Ronin grabbed a chair and slammed it down on the man shoulders.

"You people want to fight dirty? Then lets do this." He barked and picked up the computer monitor in the corner and threw it at the guy as he was getting back up. "Cole!?" Ronin walked over to Cole putting his fingers under his chin checking for a pulse. The black ninja was breathing, but he wouldn't be if they didn't get out and soon. The room was engulfed in flames. That couldn't be good for Cole.

"Come on dirt bag get up." He slapped Coles face. He groaned and his eyes rolled again.

Ronin heard someone running down the hallway again. Two men spotted him and ran forward he grabbed a piece of the fallen broken chair and used it to block the first strick. The blade went right through the piece of wood. Ronin swore under his breath and picked up one of the knives Cole had and ran at one of the men. The second man sucker punched him in the ribs. Ronin began to cough horribly. He wasn't able to catch a breath. He felt himself growing dizzy.

He fell to his knees. His eyes roamed over the hallway.

Ronin fell to his hands and shook his head trying really hard not to pass out. He heard a thump noise beside him. He looked and spotted one of the men laying on the floor. Blood ran from his nose. Ronin looked up to see a very blurry figure. The second guy went through a wall. He heard the words in his ear.

"Ronin can you stand?" It was Echos voice. He must have came inside the building.

"Wheres Kate?" Ronin breathed out. He felt himself being lifted from the ground. He wasn't to sure what happened after that.

* * *

Kate gasped when she saw her brother and Cole being carried up onto the balcony. Echo had stashed her up on top of the command center that way she could see everything, but the others didn't know where she was.

"Are they alright?" Kate asked following Echo inside. Echo walked past the other ninja. He walked into the medical room and put them down on the only bed in there. They'd have to share. Kate looked at them. Their was black around their eyes and mouth. She grabbed a rag and wet it in the sink. The wiped their faces off, it didn't help the fact that their teeth were a gross gray and their tongues were a grayish black. It was all from inhaling that soot.

Echo placed Oxygen masks on them both and turned it on full blast. Kate could hear their weezing clearly over the machines. She watched as Echo brought over saylin bags and started an IV on both of them. Kate hated IVs, she had to endure them on multiple occasions.

Echo opened the shirts of both men and listened to their breathing. Both men sounded like they were trying to breath in water. Echo looked up at Kate. She stood on one side of the bed, her eyes were glued to her brothers face. No tears, just a frown that told him that she was incredibly sad. But still...no tears. This was odd, Kate never held back her tears from him. They were alone in the room. Thats when he saw her mouth move in a very angry manor. She wasn't sad, she was furious. He had only seen her this mad once and it was at Sanza.

He stepped back and walked over to Kate. He had to qual her anger if he could or she would run off and get hurt.

"They'll be fine Kate." He whispered to her taking her in his arms. He found himself not wanting to let her go. When he hugged her, her head fit under his chin perfectly as if they were built for one another, even though they were build two different ways. Two different species that just fit so perfectly together in heart, body, and mind. Who could be more perfect this this woman for him?

"Bronze…" Cole looked at Echo through half closed lids. He coughed running his hand over his forehead.

"Bronze?" Echo asked and looked at himself. "Yes I am. Are you just noticing that?" Echo was confused.

"No...They have a weakness...to bronze." Cole said laying back down and looked at Ronin. "Budge over…" He mumbled before falling back asleep.

"Bronze?"

"So thats why they in cased him in bronze." Kate said and clapped her hands going over to the corner where their was a computer. "I honestly wondered why or how the ghost of the Master of string had some sort of grudge against Garmadon...specially for him to go after someone with such force." She said and held up a text book. "I'm so stupid!" She yelled and looked through the schools database. She looked over her students reports. "I had forgotten I had given an assignment before leaving for Metaldonia. My students did a report of the master of string!" He said and looked over it. "It was his family! He had a wife and three children. All of which died after a serpentine army attacked it. But according to reports they didn't find all the children!" She showed the computer to Echo.

"We aren't dealing with the first master...but his descendant!? But why?" Kate shook her head and looked around at her brother and sighed.

"Now that...is something we'll have to find out on our own." Kate said. She put a cool cloth on her brothers forehead.

"Trying to find this person to ask is going to prove hard to do."

"How can I help?" The voice came from the computer over Ronin and Coles head.

"Pixal?" Echo asked in disbelief.

"We need to find how who this relative of the master of string is." Kate said

"Wait!" Echo shouted scaring Kate. His glare caused her to step back, This side of Echo scared her. Although she understood why he did it. "How do we know your not one of them?"

"Well my body is under his influence. Zane and I are being held at the bar. I suspect the person is close and watching us there since she keeps us stashed. However Misako leaves every so often for some reason. If you can follow her...perhaps you can find out what you wish to know. I'm sorry I'm of no further help to you."

"It is fine Pixal. We understand that you won't leave my brother behind. Is he functional?"

"He keeps shifting back and forth between himself and this mystery person as if he can't keep full control of him."

"Its the watch. His watch is bronzed." Kate said with a smile.

"Bronze?"

"Their weakness."

"Echo...you're a weakness?" Pixal asked. Kate giggled.

"Definitely my weakness." Kate mumbled so only Echo could hear. Echo blushed looking up at Kate. She leaned over and kissed him.


	9. Chapter 39

_**Authors Notes: Theirs a lot of torture in this chapter. *Covers up head***_

* * *

 _ **Master of String**_

 _ **Chapter 39**_

 _ **silver**_

Echo peaked out of the door acting the part of concerned, yet clueless friend. He looked at the others and gave a fake shaky smile.

"It looks like they'll be alright, but they're still out cold. Kate will stay with her brother for the time being. I'll stay with her as usual and to monitor their progress. You all should go get some sleep. Specially you Nya you've been up for nearly 48 hours worrying about your brother." Echo said. Nya nodded her head and started walking toward the bunk room. Lloyd stepped forward looking at Echo. He didn't flinch actually he stepped forward.

"Is something wrong?" Echo asked. Lloyd shook his head and looked inside the room seeing Kate half asleep in her chair. She spotted him and lazily waved at him with a very tired smile. He almost looked like he held something back.

"No just wanted to see Cole for myself."

"Ah just concerned?" Echo asked. Lloyd smiled and nodded.

"I'll bring her something to eat. She hasn't ate much at all today." Lloyd said and turned around then paused. Then he turned around with a sly smile.

"Hey...wheres Zane?" He asked. Echo felt his heart flip flop in his chest. He wanted to rip that boy in two. If it weren't for the fact that Lloyd hadn't been the one to actually say it.

"He's gone to the karaoke bar that Darreth owns to tell him about his boyfriends condition. I expect he's consoling him about now." Echo said and walked back into the room. Lloyd took one more look before closing the door. Echo looked at Kate who stood up and pulled on Ronins jacket. It smelt like it had been put on a Barbecue. Actually in some areas she was sure it had been. Old holes from bullets and knives. Some pieces had been sewn together in an effort to save the grungy jacket. She pulled on some old ripped up jeans, and ran her fingers over her brothers pant leg and ran her fingers over her face. It was sooty now and she looked like she belonged in the slums.

"Where will you be?" Kate asked. Echo ran his fingers over her hair attempting to make her hair smooth back. Her hair was curly as hell and the red was bright. He shook his head looking her in the eyes.

"I should be the one going." Echo said he seemed to be drawn to her eyes. They were so bright and full of life. How could he not want to drown in them. He looked over his wife trying to make sure she could pass as some vagrant trying to dig in the garbage. The old baseball cap that belonged to Zane was placed onto her head.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you from the Bounty. So please...keep your distance from Misako. She knows spinjitzu and you do not. She could kill you, Kate please reconsider." Echo begged not wanting his wife to go. Kate smiled at him.

"Don't worry love. I'll be careful." Kate said climbing out the window and down the rope. Echo ran over to the window and looked outside at her. She looked back up at him and smiled.

Echo turned and looked at the other two slumbering occupants in the room. How he wished for once to not play the roll of nurse. He wanted so much to watch over Kate. But he had to watch her brother, and Cole. He promised.

* * *

Zane lay on the floor of the club. His eyes slightly fogged over from exhaustion. He had been used as a punching bag by this unknown person no less then six times. The most recent just ended he hoped. Something about his brother getting wise to them. So he took it out on him. He rolled onto his back and coughed. He looked over his frame. Mostly just dings from the beating, but his shoulder was sparking a lot, and his legs were broken. He couldn't even get up. Darreth lay on the floor not to far away from him. His nose was broken, his eyes were poofy and pink. Ronin was going to be pissed.

Pixal walked out of the back room. She kicked him on the way by.

"The master wants you." She said to Misako. Zane looked confused for a moment.

"You're...you're not alone?" Zane asked.

"Well of course not. I have an army. How do you think I got those people over in Metaldonia to do as I asked? I've been working at this for years." He had Pixal sit down at the bar and smiled. "You know I can tell you why." He said This surprised Zane.

"I was at school that day. A little five year old whose family was murdered by Garmadon." Pixal sat down much like a guy would. Legs spred out leaning forward staring at Zane with the same eyes as his wife.

"Are you sure it was them? I have it on pretty good authority that it was the snakes." Zane said spitting fluids from his mouth. He hated to spit, but he didn't need to swallow it. Pixals head turned around and glared at Zane.

"You think I don't know the possibilities? I looked into it. Years and years of research. I not only looked into it, I took any and all research I could find and destroyed it. I didn't want anyone to know how to destroy me." He said going into the back and smiled. "You must be hungry." He said and picked up a carton of oil and held it out to Zane. Zane sighed and shook his head.

"Give it to Pixal." He said this seemed to anger the man. He knocked Zane on his back and forced his sparking mouth open and poured the oil into his mouth. Zane spat and sputtered. His yells of disapproval of oil being forced down his throat was loud. Once the bottle was empty he pushed Zane into a chair. Zane kept coughing, he was feeling sick. His mind raced around in his skull.

"Perhaps next time when someone offers you something you'll take it." He said putting a carton on the counter again. Zane cringed and shied away from the carton. Pixals hand was shaking, she was fighting his control. Zanes stomach was only supposed to fit two cups of oil at a time. That was an entire carton. This wasn't good.

"I can not house anymore." He said holding his stomach and coughed again.

"I"d like to see about that." The twisted smile told Zane that he was about to find out if he really can. The man was annoyingly angry about something. Misakos body came out of the back room and looked at Pixal. He walked forward pushing the chair over and shoving the opening into Zanes mouth.

"Drink it!" He yelled and jumped when Misakos hand touched his shoulder.

"Its time sir." She said. He sighed standing up still having the carton upside down. He looked down at Zane who kept coughing.

"Your lucky…go ahead sweetheart." He said motioning toward the door. Misako did as she was told. He looked down at the panting nindroid. His white Gi was mostly a brown color.

"Its no fun when you can't fight back is it?" He chuckled throwing the carton down on Zane. It was like his insides were over filled, over oiled, he felt like his processors were floating.

"Echo will find you." Zane said

"You mean that Echo kid? The one who still thinks Bronze can save everyone?"

"Bronze…? Its different from person to person. For instance mine isn't bronze...its silver." He chuckled and ran his fingers through Pixals hair trying to get it out of his face. He too was now covered in oil.

"Your pathetic! Trying to harm people who have nothing to do with what Garmadon has done in the past. Leave these people out of it."

"Oh I'll leave them alright...when Misako and Lloyd are dead. Poor Kai though…" He laughed.

"What?"

"You'll just have to find out."

"Do not harm Kai!" Zane yelled out.

"Why would you care? Your just a machine?"

* * *

Lloyd stood over Kai. One of his own swords in hand.

"I'm afraid your in my way." Lloyds voice said. Kai opened his eyes and looked up at Lloyd. Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. The wound was really really painful at that moment. Who was it responsible for making sure he took his medication again? Jay?" He looked around at Jay. Jay smiled at him. He tipped the bottle upside down and all the pills fell onto the ground. Kai looked up at Lloyd in a panic. His sister was nowhere to be seen.

"What...what are you doing?" Kai asked his voice broke as he tried to stay even.

"Finishing the job of course." Jay said running his fingers over Kais bruised belly.

"No…Someone help me!" He yelled unable to move as fast as he could he was now being held down by Lloyd. Jay leaned over with a syringe. The contents were a red color. He knew what that was. It was a fast acting poison that would almost kill him instantly. Jay moved his head to the side and smiled down at him. Kai closed his eyes and jumped when the door slammed open. Echo stood there and glared at Jay and Lloyd.

"You both are tampering with my patients care." He said grabbing Jays arm and threw him out the door. He glared at Lloyd. Lloyd put his hands up and walked out of the room. Echo sat down on the bed and moved the Gi down to look at the wound. It didn't seem to be missing any stitches.

"Kai?" Kais eyes were still squeezed shut. "Kai Smith can you hear me?" He said touching his hand. Kai jumped looking around the room. His eyes locked onto Echos.

"Echo?" He reached out wanting to touch something solid. He had never been that close to death before. Echo reached out taking his hand in his. He understood what he was feeling. When he was in Sanzas prison all he wanted was to hold his brother to let him know he was real.

"You are fine now. Just relax. I'll lock the door." He said doing as he said and walked back into the secondary room where Cole and Ronin was.

* * *

Zane jumped when he heard the loud yell coming from Pixal. He couldn't move nothing. But when he turned a little he saw something that not only scared him, but made him smile. Darreth stood over a now unconscious Pixal. A spoon pressed against her forehead.

"Darreth…?" Zane called. Darreth turned and ran over to Zane doing the same to him. The invisible bindings seemed to let loose. He sighed in pure relief.

"So silver huh?" Darreth asked and glared at the door.

' _Echo...Echo can you hear me?_ " Zane called for his brother.

'Are you safe?' was the response.

' _Yes...its not bronze thats the cure...its silver. It differs from person to person._ "

"Oh no…" Echo breathed out and ran over to the window.

' _Whats wrong?_ '

'Kates gone after Misako...he was just supposed to go find out where she was heading...hopefully to find this...guy."

' _Find her Echo...go please. Or you'll lose her. He's not a kind man._ '


	10. Chapter 40

**_Authors Notes: FFN hasn't been behaving today. Hopefully this one goes through. One more chapter after this one I should think._**

* * *

 ** _Master of String_**

 ** _Chapter 40_**

 _How?_

Kate sat on the other side of a dumpers. Her head cast down trying to avoid eye contact with anyone that walked by. Her eyes weaved over the crowd as she had been taught to do on many occasions. She watched for hours it seemed unaware of the problems on the Bounty, unaware of the activities within the club. All she knew as that Misako walked by and this was her que. She stood up with some effort or technically it was faked effort. She looked at her reflection in the window as she walked by. It looked horrid. She had climbed in a few dumpsters to get that authentic homeless smell. She was sure their were things now attached to her butt, and the shoes she borrowed from Cole. She was sure he would wake up and wonder why he wasn't wearing any, but his shoes were the most worn in. He refused to get more shoes till they fell apart.

Kate followed Misako through the crowd. She noticed with some unfortunate knowledge that this was the same outfit that she was wearing when she saw her in the classroom about a week ago. She was wondering just how long Misako had been under there control. Kate stopped when Misako walked down another street, then an alleyway. Their were a lot of twists and turns, she was sure Misako was trying to insure that someone wasn't following her, or to lose her. Finally after a few moments Misako stopped and opened a large red door.

"Excellent…" The mans voice was deep. Kate narrowed her eyes and looked into the building through a crack. She knew that person...she knew him from her class. It was a kid named Michael. She couldn't remember a last name. She wasn't to sure if this kid was related to that old Master of String, but she knew the kid was under their control.

"Hum...would you look at that...a birdy. Came to find me and tell the others? Smart...but stupid." Kate turned around and gasped seeing a man with black hair and glasses. His outfit wasn't bad either.

"I don't know what your talking about. I wanted to see if I could get in."

"Oh stop it Mrs. Julien I know who you are." He grabbed her hat and smiled as the curly red hair fell down around her shoulders. "Why don't you step inside."

"If its alright with you, I'd rather not." Kate said her eyes wide. She gasped when he pointed his fingers at her. His eyes flashed red. Kate tried to fight it, but she began to walk into the warehouse without her permission.

"Stop…" Kate gasped wondering why her ring wasn't stopping him. It was made out of bronze. It was Echos bronze.

"I didn't want to do this Mrs. Julien but you left me no choice." He said opening the door for her. "That husband of yours has become quite a problem. Perhaps some incentive to get him to do as I say. Since I can't seem to get a lock onto him. Julien androids are so annoying." He said

"Kate!" Echo ran down the alleyway having used Ronins locator to find her.

"Oh smart...he knew how to find you?" The man asked.

"Who are you?" Echo asked holding his hand out to Kate. Kate gasped shaking her head at Echo.

"I can't move." She said. Echo gasped looking at the man.

"Please...I'll do anything. Please let her go."

"Oh trust me...their is one thing...you won't do." He said holding up the tablet that one of his slaves had gotten from the Bounty. It has the feed of Echos incubating daughter. Echos eyes grew wide and he looked at Kate.

The man turned to show Kate what he had just showed to Echo.

"No...please." Kate whispered looking at Echo.

"So I'll give you a choice...either your wife...or your baby."

"You are no better then Garmadon." Kate was shaking from anger, but she couldn't do anything about it. The man walked over and punched Kate in the face. Echo gasped stepping forward, but to afraid he would hurt them both.

"That man killed my whole family."

"Your doing the same." Echo said trying to plead with him.

"This is revenge robot! I never said it was going to be clean."

"But your wanting to kill an innocent child!" Echo said.

"Innocent? This child is a nindroid human hybrid. She has no place in our world."

* * *

Ronin moaned when he felt a warm hand on his cheek. He slowly turned his head to look seeing Darreth standing there. He gasped seeing the way Darreth looked. He reached out running his hands over his face. Darreth leaned his head into his hand and closed his eyes. He had wanted so much to feel the warmth of Ronins touch again. He had honestly wondered if he was alright. Upon hearing that he had almost died in a fire he himself nearly lost control.

"Darreth?" Ronin asked looking into his lovers eyes when he looked down at him. He wanted so much to sweap him off his feet. Take him to parts unknown and just keep him inside a bottle for all eternity. But their was work to be done.

Darreth, Pixal, and Zane who had been fixed the best they could arrived on the Bounty with as much silver as they could find. The ninja were back to normal. Even Lloyd who was so weak they had to put him on the bed with Kai and give him oxygen because his breathing was coming so fast. They were afraid he would hyperventilate.

"Do we know where Misako is?" Ronin turned to look at Cole who was drooling on his shoulder. "Hey...wake up. You're going to drown me." He grumbled. Darreth smiled helping Ronin up out of the bed. He knew perfectly well he wasn't able to keep him where he didn't want to.

"How do you feel?" His swave voice asked. Ronin just looked at him with a crooked smile.

"My lungs still feel like its gained some weight, but other then that I'll be just fine." He said and kissed Darreths cheek before making his way out of the room. He spotted Zane sitting down in the command center.

"Wheres my sister." He barked. He leaned against the door frame and looked at the map. He gasped and ran for the door.

"Ronin! You need silver!" Darreth said following him out onto the deck. He had something in his hand. Ronin looked around the bags of silver. "Ronin stop." The words were kind of said with a laugh. Ronin turned and looked at his boyfriend wondering just what was funny. Darreth draped something around his neck and smiled. It was a silver necklace. It wasn't something to girly. Actually it was a silver insignia that was a combination of Darreths and Ronins symbols. Normally when doing this it meant these two were engaged.

"Darreth?"

"It came in the mail...was going to give it to you the day we opened the club, but well…"

"Plans got derailed." Ronin said running his hands over Darreths cheek. "Thank you." Darreth blushed being a little shy still of the contact he was getting. Ronin thought it was adorable.

"Now go save that sister of yours." Darreth said.

* * *

Kate felt herself growing tired. The string was working its poisons into her blood stream. Echo had no choice but to watch such a thing. Kate inwardly thanked him for allowing her to do this over the destruction of their only offspring. Their unborn child...Harmony seemed so fitting a name. A union of two works. Nindroid and human.

"I hope...she makes lots of friends." Kate whispered to no one in general.

"She'll probably be bullied, and ridiculed for what she is." The man grumbled out.

Kates voice was slow and slurred.

"Kate?" Echo called. Kate slowly looked up at him. "I love you."

"Always love…" Kates head lullied to her chest. Her head then snapped back up and the eyes were glowing red. She was placed back on her feet.

"Alright Kate...you see that knife just behind you? Use it on Echo." Kate turned and picked up the knife. She walked over to Echo, Echo just stood there not moving at all. His eyes never left Kates, but if he moved...that man would have their baby killed. Kate raised the blade.

"On secont thought Kate...use the blade on yourself." It was fast order and the blade fell.

Their was a loud slicing noise.

"Kate!" Echo grabbed old of the knife in Kates hands with his own bare hands. She fought with him, trying to dislodge the blade from his fingers. Oil and sparks flew from his fingers. The pain was horrid.

"Kate!" Ronin yelled from behind the mystery man. A sword sticking out of his back straight through his chest. The man smiled at Echo.

"Its appropriate no?" He asked with a smile. "You poor things." He coughed, blood splattered his hands.

"Deedaro Kent. I should have known it was you…" Ronin growled. "I don't suppose you realize thats my sister!" Ronin grabbed the mans head and bent it back putting a knife to his throat. The sword still stuck out of his chest.

"Oh...pity." He said with a deranged laugh that sounded like he was drowning.

The knife was right over Kates chest. Its tip was already dipped into the flesh. A long line of red dripped down her chest.

"Kate no...no stop!" The knife was resting against the bone of her chest plate.

"Release her now!" Ronin yelled.

An arrow flew through the air hitting Kent on the chest. They all stopped to see the Bounty off in front of them. On the edge of the Bounty's railing was Zane. His bow in hand. Ronin smiled and waved letting Kent fall to the ground dead.

Kate dropped the knife allowing for Echo to pull the knife from her chest. Kate fell into his arms. Her head resting against his chest.

"Its not to deep." Ronin said pulling a cloth handkerchief from his pocket and suddenly stopped. "Hey...is that my jacket?" He chuckled.


	11. Chapter 41

**_Authors Notes: Welps thats it everyone. Last chapter. However this does start the adventures with Darreth, and Ronin. So look forward to that. It'll be the same universe so you'll get glimpses of Harmony growing alongside someone else...es. Lots of Love :D_**

* * *

 ** _Master of String_**

 ** _Chapter 41_**

 ** _Onward_**

Echo sat against the alleyway wall. Kate was in his arms shaking. It wasn't to cold outside, but still she shivered. Echo kept scanning her wondering what could possibly be causing such a reaction. Ronin stood over her just in case one of Kents comrades showed up. Apparently he had people that would pay for slaves like he could provide. Mindless people to do anything and everything that they wanted. Even the mind can be manipulated into believing anything even after being taken control of and the strings broke. The person would have forgotten everything and continued on as they had as a slave because they thought it was just what they did. But that was from years of control.

The wound on her chest had stopped bleeding. As Ronin had said it wasn't very deep, even though it was clean, and Echo was sure their was some cuts in the bone.

"Kate?" Ronin whispered crouching down moving the hair from her face to pull it behind her ear. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him through very foggy eyes.

"Ronin!" Darreth ran up, very worried for his husband to be. Ronin looked up at Darreth.

"She's having a negative reaction to the control."

"I felt incredibly sick after I came back to. Threw up a few times." Darreth offered.

"So this is normal?" Echo asked running his fingers over her arm.

"She might feel overly tired too." He said.

"Tired... " Kate whispered. "And...apologetic." Kate said and looked up at Echo her head leaning against his arm. "I could have killed you."

Echo just smiled at his wife and pressed his bronzed lips to her peach ones trying to get her to forget the whole thing. Kate pulled away her eyes were shadowed with how tired she was. She had been sick from the snow storm, and now she had been awake most of the night plus some. She was definitely tired.

"Come lets get you fed, and in bed. Its been a long night."

"I got Misako." Ronin yelled walking out with her thrown over his shoulder.

"What about this kid?" Darreth asked looking over the man and gasped seeing the blood flowing from his mouth.

"Looks like he's been under his control for some time. Looks like he couldn't take not knowing." Darreths eyes were locked on a tiny form not to far away from them. A young girl with brown hair and blue eyes. She looked incredibly scared. Probably the combination of seeing some man kill himself, and being out from under Kents control. Darreth walked over to her and kneeled down.

"Say uh...you got a name?" He asked. The girl shook her head scooting away from Darreth afraid. "No name?" Darreth looked up at Ronin who looked puzzled.

"Really? I didn't think he took control of kids. Then again I never thought he'd try to murder my friends and family." Ronin said.

"Come on kid. Its not safe here. Lets take you someplace safe till we can get you to a…" He gasped when the girl reached forward and took his finger in his. She was wearing raggidy clothing, and no shoes. Her hair was unkempt and it looked like it either was ripped out or cut short on one side. Ronin reached forward moving her hair and then the other side and realized what had happened.

"Oh sweetheart...you've been experimented on." He said looking up at Darreth. "I seen this in Sanza's workshop years before he kidnapped our family. The put electrodes on the side of their heads and...it makes them forget...everything. She might have known something about the former master of string that he didn't want out." Ronin said shaking his head.

"Its okay...we'll take care of you." Darreth said smiling at her. She gave a weak smile back to Darreth.

"Promise?" Her voice was so low he could have mistaken it for the wind blowing.

"Promise." Darreth and Ronin smiled at one another.

* * *

Echo watched his brother as he walked out of the wheelhouse of the Bounty. He had been positioned on the very top so he could help his brother out better. His keen eye and that bow were probably what saved Kate.

Zane looked rather amazed at his brother for a moment when Echo walked over to him and put his forehead against his. He would have liked to hug him better but Kate was asleep in his arms. Zane just let his brothers silent thank you before running his fingers over Kates arm. She felt warm at least.

"The others are gather…" He looked up seeing the little girl in Darreths arms.

"Whose this?"

"She was in the warehouse. She can't remember who she is." Ronin said. Echo smiled down at her and her shy nature caused her to bury her face in Darreths shirt.

"What are you going to do with her?" Zane asked.

"Well we're going to have to take her to the police dept. Just in case someone might be looking for her." Ronin said. The girl looked up at Ronin a little scared. She wasn't sure what would become of her then.

"Promised?" She asked. Ronin smiled at her and ruffled her already messy hair.

"We promise." Darreth said and smiled at her.

Echo walked Kate into their bedroom and sighed. It was such a mess in there. He lay Kate down and covered her up.

"We're on our way to your house Echo." Pixal said "We don't have the tablet anymore so we can't keep an eye on your daughter. So we must get to the house." Pixal said and smiled down at her brother in law who sat on the edge of the bed running his fingers over his wifes messy hair.

"Hey! Where are my shoes!" Coles voice came from the medical bay. Echo scoffed and tried not to laugh to loud.

* * *

Echo carried his awake wife through their house with Zanes help they were able to get in without putting Kate down on the cold ground. Once inside Echo put Kate down on the couch and smiled at her.

"I'll be right back." He said and walked down in the basement. He stopped in the middle of the room. Their was a glow from the tank that caused his curiosity to rise. He looked back up the stairs.

"Zane...could you come here for a moment?" He called up trying not to sound panicked. Both Kate and Zane came downstairs and looked at the tank. Kates breath caught in her throat and she looked up at Echo. He slowly reached out and took her hand. They both walked forward.

In front of them the machine had a bright green light flashing. The read out said one word. 'Done'

Echo looked up at his brother almost as if asking permission or asking if he could do it now. Zane smiled at his brother and nodded.

"Go on." He said.

Kate and Echo reached out and looked at one another for one moment and then pushed the button. The liquid within the tank began to empty. The baby lay on the floor of the incubator. The display made a beeping noise before the tank opened on its own. Once the tank was opened Kate and Echo heard the first cries of their daughter Harmony. Kate reached out and picked up the baby.

Echos hand went to the back of the babies head. His fingers traced over the copper colored hair. It was almost as if the color was a mix of his and hers. The eyes were his though. A bright gold color with a black pupil. Her skin was a tan color rather then her mothers pale skin. Also it looked like it was a combination of the two.

"I'll call Borg. He might want to look over her." Zane said and left the room to the two parents.

Zane put his finger to the comlink and called out.

"Guys...you might wanna come inside...and meet Harmony."

"So soon? I thought we had like a hundred days left." Jay said. Zane chuckled and shrugged.

"Don't ask me to explain miracles Jay...that would be impossible. " Zane said pulling out his cell phone and dialing Borgs number.

* * *

Harmony lay in her fathers arms. A small purple jumper was on the sleeping infant. Borg stood on the other side of the coffee table in disbelief. He honestly wasn't to sure that the incubator would have worked. Yet here was the hybrid infant made from Echo and Kate.

"Have you fed her?" Borg asked. Kate smiled and held up the bottle. The formula was on the counter. Borg pulled out a machine that caught the protective fathers eye.

"Oh its just an ultrasound unite. We're going to find out if her insides are the way they should be." He said and held up the small machine that expanded as he pushed a button. The unite scanned the infant, Borg looked over it. His eyes narrowed and he reached out touching the infants arm. It was hard, he then pushed on the second one. It was soft. He ran his fingers over her leg too, and then her ribs. The infant squirmed under his fingers showing her displeasure by poking her bottom lip out and wake up.

"Borg…" Echo said standing up bounding the baby in his arms.

"It would look like one of her arms, legs, both lungs, and a few of her ribs are completely nindroid, while the rest are human." He breathed in and exhaled "I don't know...if she'll grow." He told them. Kate looked at Echo with shock.

"You mean she's stuck an infant?" Kate asked.

"No I mean her human parts will grow, but her nindroid parts won't. I've never seen a nindroid grow."

"I have." Zane said from the kitchen. "I was shrunk down to a child once." He told them. This surprised Borg.

"How could...nevermind." he waved his hands in the air. "Right now I'm going to keep an eye on her. As of right now keep feeding her regular formula, and you might want to infuse it with a bit of oil." Borg said running his fingers over his face. "This is on a wing and a prayer...I'm sorry." Borg said and shook his head. "I hope...she'll be alright."

"She'll be fine." Echo said kissing the baby's forehead. It turned out a lot of her hair felt like his too. It was just a bit more curly. "My baby girl will grow up beautifully and become whatever her heart desires."

"Her heart...is curious." Borg said showing them the read out. "It doesn't look like a heart." He said. Echo walked over and looked over it. It looked like a huge black mass.

"The only way I can find out what it is, is to open her up and look." Borg chuckled when he saw the horror look on Echos face. "Oh don't worry...Im not going to. As long as their isn't a problem with her I won't do such a thing. But knowing you and your brother even if I did open her up. I probably still wouldn't be able to figure it all out anyways." He said and chuckled.

"It doesn't matter anyways. As long as she's happy."

"Mr Borg?" Pixal asked. Borg turned around and looked at his creation.

"We'd like your assistance." Zane said Borg blushed for a second and then smiled.

"Why do I feel like I'm about to become a grandfather?"

"You are." Zane said motioning to the basement. Borg chuckled and followed leaving the parents on their own with their daughter for the first time.

"Do you regret us?" The question was out of Kates mouth before she could stop herself.

"Why would I do that? Its a horrible thought." Echo said watching Kate blush.

"I...I feel bad about her being the way she is." Kate blurted. This kind of felt like a slap to Echo. But before he assumed anything he wanted to ask.

"What do you mean?" He asked

"What if she dies because she can't grow Echo? What if…" Oh this is whats going on...She was worried. It was so motherly of Kate.

"Stop that...no what ifs. We'll take it as it comes. But right now she's here, and you wear mother beautifully." Kate blushed and moved her hair from her eyes to look up at Echo.

"You are going to be a great father."


End file.
